PARK COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER Wags and Whiskers April 2014 Inspiring Accomplishments By Ken Markert, Board President This column is an update on a variety of topics: Needs Assessment: Last fall, the PCAS board hired the architectural firm Shelter Planners to conduct a study of our animal population and deficiencies at the Shelter with the aim of identifying building solutions. A draft of the study is now under review by our Building Committee. Before starting the study, we knew our dog kennels required major repairs and that a shortage of space forces us to house many cats in small cages. The advice from these experienced shelter design professionals should help us address these problems and direct Shelter renovations and additions. Bylaw Changes: The Board has worked over the winter to tune up the PCAS Bylaws. The board believes the new Bylaws will help make PCAS more efficient and effective. PCAS members will have a chance to vote on the proposed Bylaws in the spring 2014 Elections. An article explaining the Bylaws changes appears elsewhere in this newsletter. Staff: PCAS is fortunate in having a very competent and dedicated manager in Brittany Vaughn. Brittany has been manager since August 2012. She has recruited excellent staff members who provide loving care to the many animals that come to the Shelter. In 2013, the team managed to get 270 animals adopted and another 164 strays returned to their owners! Newsletters: PCAS has reached another milestone in publishing this, the seventh consecutive newsletter since late 2011. The newsletter had not been published for some time before board director Bettye Dominick took charge in 2011. The newsletter is our best way to keep you informed of progress and developments at the Shelter. IRS audit: Last October, the Internal Revenue Service informed us that they would perform an examination or audit of the PCAS books. The audit was a consequence of the financial irregularities connected with the 2011 embezzlement. An IRS agent spent three days here in January reviewing our 2011 and 2012 records, interviewing PCAS officers and meeting with the board. The agent s initial finding was that PCAS was potentially liable for over $19,000 in fines and penalties. PCAS officers past and present, including our Treasurer Jan Riley and Past President Todd Currier worked hard to satisfy the IRS. Now, the agent informed us that PCAS passed the examination--and will not face any fines or penalties! Endowment Fund: In December, the PCAS board established an endowment fund with the Wyoming Community Foundation (WCF). The endowment fund is a permanent account that the WCF manages for the benefit of PCAS. Funds placed in the endowment are the principal that cannot be withdrawn. Instead, investment income generated from the fund is paid out to PCAS each year in perpetuity. The fund is intended as a new giving opportunity for our donors as well as a dependable revenue source for the Shelter. Donors can give to the endowment and create a legacy providing operating funds to the Shelter year after year. Several other shelters in Wyoming have $1 million or larger endowment funds that provide a substantial portion of annual operating funds. With future addition of bequests and other special gifts, PCAS can look forward to improving our long term financial stability. Jack Russell and Corgi Races: The Races event has developed into a tremendous fundraiser for the Shelter. Well over 300 people attended, bet on dog races, bid in the silent auction and had a good time at the January event. Former PCAS Board director Kelsey Brown organized the first event in 2011. She and her helpers have grown it into PCAS s largest single fundraiser. This year s event netted over $14,000 to benefit Shelter operations! Budget: For 2013, we underspent our budget by $9,000, our revenues exceeded the budget projection by over $30,000 and finished the year in the black with almost 6 months of operating expenses in reserve! PCAS has a four-part mission: to provide excellent care and find good homes for our animal guests; to promote responsible pet guardianship; to work to end the overpopulation of feral cats as well all pets; and to run an organized efficient shelter with a no-kill philosophy. You are receiving this newsletter because you help make all this possible. Three-quarters of our funding comes from member donations, fundraisers and private grants. Thank you for renewing your membership and for contributing. We still have a lot to do and we count on your support. Each of us has different reasons for being part of PCAS. Whatever your inspiration long may it last!
Page 2 CALENDAR OF EVENTS WE ARE COMBINING THE MEMBERSHIP AND BOARD MEETINGS ON THE THIRD THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH. Membership meeting starts at 5:30 pm and is held at the Monument Room at West Park Hospital Membership Meeting April 17th 5:30 pm in the Monument Room at West Park Hospital. E-mail Ken at k.r.markert@gmail.com if you want to be on the e-mail list for the meetings. Garagarama May 3rd This is a huge garage sale. If you have items you would like to donate or have any questions, call Mary Whitmore at 578-8902 or e-mail her at emwhitwy@yahoo.com. All proceeds from this sale will go to the Dog Washing Station at the Shelter. Sage Creek Community Club Annual Spring Back Yard Sale May 17th Dawn has a storage shed that was donated by Jerry Kincade so she is now accepting items to be sold. NO CLOTHING PEASE. Contact Dawn at 899-3852 for more information. THANK YOU! Adoptions: Dogs/Puppies Cats/Kittens Dec 11 23 Jan 8 6 Feb 5 9 March 11 8 Currently in the Shelter: Dogs/Puppies 16 Cats/Kittens 42 6 cats & 5 dogs are in foster care. The 4th Annual Jack Russell and Corgi Races were a big success raising $14,400 that goes directly to our local animal shelter. We couldn t have done it without our wonderful sponsors and volunteers! DOG SPONORS Jeanna Kennedy with Farm Bureau Insurance, Auntie Qs Antiques, Wyoming Diesel Power, Wyoming Financial Cody, Wyoming Financial Powell, US Bank, Rodeo West/Ron s Exxon, Happy Tails Pet Boarding, Strands Salon, Dude Ranchers Association. EVENT SPONSORS Fremont Motors Powell, Fremont Motors Cody, Natures Design Taxidermy, Schrader Metal and Design, Yellowstone Sports Medicine, The Cody, McIntosh Trucking, White Ink Printing, Big Horn Radio Network, Cody Enterprise, Mountain West Screen Printers, Midwest Fence. VOLUNTEERS Misty Scott, Cassie Newkirk, Allison Weber, Jessika and Shane Vertz, Susan Osborne, Jersey Denvir, Mark Musser, Tara and Malory Hart, Brost Family, Becky Walsh, Frank Bohan, Bill Brown, Kuck Family, Eskelli Family, Tami Bunker, Leslie Keltner, Mary Whitmore, Owen Family, Blessing Family. Shelter Manager Brittany can be heard every Thursday on the Eagle Radio Station with Bobby Rock at 8:40 am. Tune in!
Page 3 PCAS STAFF Brittany Vaughn Shelter Manager Kayla Pooler Assistant Manager Polly Churma Vet Tech Patrick Caldwell Angie Edwards Nan Santos Jessica Zeller PCAS BOARD MEMBERS Ken Markert Pres. David Burke, VP Andy Whiteman, Sec. Jan Riley, Treasurer Bettye Dominick Tasa Brost Jerri Sperry Mary Schock Joyce Cicco PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE BYLAWS The PCAS board has approved numerous revisions to our Bylaws and is asking the membership to approve these changes in the May 2014 Elections. The proposed Bylaw changes will update the Bylaws to reflect our current practices and they will help make our operations more efficient. Our pro-bono attorney Meg Sommers reviewed the proposed changes and helped us fine-tune them. The main changes are: Simplifying the member voting, so each member gets one vote (we also do away with the family membership type). The monthly membership meeting and the ban on members attending the board meeting are both eliminated-- we will just have monthly board meetings that members can attend. Quorum for membership special meetings is increased from 11 members to 10% of the membership which is the standard under state law. The terms of officers is extended to two years instead of the present one year to match the terms of directors which are currently two years. Added a new provision on bank checks that is consistent with our current practice of requiring two signatures on all checks. The current Bylaws say we should send a copy of the proposed changes to every member. We want to avoid the cost of doing that by posting the proposed Bylaws on the PCAS website, www.parkcountyanimalshelter.com. A link to the Bylaws is now on the top of the home page. We also will mail a paper copy of the proposed Bylaws to any member who requests that by calling the Shelter at 587-5110. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING May 15th, 5:30 pm Monument Room at West Park Hospital All members are welcome! The agenda for the meeting will include: (A) President s report on the activities of the Corporation (B) The Treasurer s report on the financial condition of the Corporation (C) Election of Directors and Officers for the coming year (D) A vote on the Bylaws changes
Page 4 Manager s Corner Human-Animal Bonding By Brittany Vaughn As I was sitting at home yesterday evening with my cats ighting over my lap and my dog lying at my feet, I couldn t help but think about how lucky I am. It made me think about who would want to give that kind of unconditional love up? Animals often come to us at the shelter because their owners are moving and can t take them with them, or they can t afford them anymore. This always baf les us at the shelter; I know I speak for many people when I say that I would be living in my car with my animals before ever giving them up. Or I would be the one going hungry if it meant my animals were taken care of. Animals offer so much more than companionship, and I honestly don t know how people who don t have animals cope! Pets play important physical, emotional, social and cognitive roles in our lives every day. According to The Pet Project for Pets, in their physical role pets contribute the following bene its: increased exercise, sensory stimulation, decreased blood pressure, the comfort of touch and a diversion from pain. Animals provide emotional bene its as they shower us with unconditional love and attention, allow spontaneous expression of emotion, reduce our loneliness, decrease our anxiety, provide us with increased relaxation and fun, and bring laughter into our lives. Our pets provide social bene its such as providing recreation, security, relieving the boredom, monotony and isolation of life in institutional settings, and allowing us the opportunity to communicate with an animal and to others about our animals. Some cognitive bene- its are that we are more likely to exercise our long and short term memory in discussion of past and present pets. So next time you think about adding a new furry friend to your family, remember all of the many bene- its that it can have in your life. But also remember that taking this critter into your life should be a lifelong commitment. Remember, saving an animal won t change the world. But for that animal, their world changes forever. COMINGS AND GOINGS AT THE SHELTER The local veterinarians and others that helped the PCAS during the past year of 2013, were given Christmas fruit baskets to thank them for all they do, without charge, to help our residents. Dr. Scot Moore plowed the drive way at the animal shelter several times during our big snow storms so the staff wouldn t have to shovel their way in and out. THANK YOU SCOTT!!!! Cody Seamless Siding donated a rain gutter and installed it over the front door of the Shelter. Rain and snow would drip off by the front door and freeze making it dangerous for those coming in to the shelter. THANK YOU TO CODY SEAMLESS SIDING. The Cody Rotary Club donated $400 to start with the purchase of the Dog Washing Station to be installed at the Shelter. THANK YOU CODY ROTARY for your generous donation!!! The Dog and Cat Banks that are in many of the Cody businesses brought in $5,425.48 for the year of 2013. In the months of Jan- March, Gerry has collected $1,079.50. We would like to thank all of those businesses for allowing us to have a bank with them. If any one would be interested or knows some business that would like a bank please call Gerry at 587-6436. THANK YOU for your dimes and dollars. The jewelry that was appraised by Sean De Namur Designs and was donated from the Peterson Estate late last year was sold on E -bay for $2,241. That was after all expenses were paid. We thank the Peterson Estate and the family for all the support and donations they have given to the Shelter. When you visit a Cody business that has purchased an ad for the News Letter, please thank them for their support. These businesses make many donations throughout the year to help our city and we couldn t get along with out them. Please show YOUR support by thanking them for their ads.
Page 5 The Shelter is open to the public from 12:00-5:30 pm everyday except Sundays. 587-5110 Website parkcountyanimalshelter.com E-Mail manager@parkcountyanimalshelter.com We are also on Facebook SEND MAIL TO: PO BOX 203 CODY, WY 82414 Adopting a Pet There are many loving pets available at the Shelter. They have been neutered or spayed (if age appropriate). And have received their first series of shots. A free veterinarian visit is included with participating vets. Adoption Fees are: $35 for a Cat $50 for a Dog over 5 years old $75 for a Dog under 5 years old You don t have to be a Park County resident to adopt a pet. Stop by the Shelter at 5537 Greybull Hwy. We are open everyday from 12:00 5:30 pm, except Sundays. Volunteers Needed To all animal lovers, young and old. We are in need of volunteers to help with - Dog Walking and Socializing Cleaning the Shelter Petting the dogs, cats and kittens If you are interested or have questions or concerns please call the Shelter and talk to Brittany. Thank you for all your help with our critters! PCAS WISH LIST: Walmart cat litter Purina dry kitten chow Dog and cat treats and toys Bleach Liquid HE laundry soap (perfume free) Paper Towels Hand sanitizer 30 gallon heavy duty black garbage bags Dishwashing gloves Liquid hand soap & dish soap 13 gallon white garbage bags We Appreciate our Volunteers! Alex Mitchell Linda Sparrow Terry Sparrow Jim Shapple Connie Moore Taminie Wagner Mary Keffer Shannon Smith Holly Moen Mary Whitmore Gerry Patterson Doug Blough Dawn Day Mary Jo Hardy Linda Kolak Becky Ransom Jessica Cross Kelsey Brown Carla Fortunato Connie Lockwood Jean Crutchfield Shana White Leigh Dvarkshkis Eric Berg Jane Zubia Frank Mallon Todd Currier Hudson Schledewitz Adelle Ostrom Meg Sommers Lynn Entwisle Niel Markert 2013 Shelter Statistics Total Dog Adoptions 111 Total Cat Adoptions 159 Total Cat Transfers 13 TOTAL ADOPTIONS/TRANSFERS 283 Deaths/Euthanized 27 Redeemed Stray Animals 164 Currently in Shelter 58 TOTAL ANIMALS HELPED in 2013 532
Page 6 If I might wax Biblical for just a moment, Hebrews says, Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing, some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Now about my youngest, 10-year-old kitten, Princess one of those cats that never gets cat-big and forever plays like a kitten. When a PCAS board member said her friend had 3 kittens she couldn t keep, the seed was planted although more cats wasn t what my neighbors had hoped for. THE CAT FROM HEAVEN by Doug Blough I kept the 3 tiny dust-bunnies in an upstairs dresser drawer at first and my favorite from the start was the gorgeous gal with the powder-brown neck and nose. Her colors are a dazzling combination I d never seen before. Her cute brothers Grady and Moe sadly never came back home one day, so Princess became a little sister to my 4 adult cats. She s still the little sister, with the bigger cats seeming to look upon her as amusing and totally harmless. I see her as totally precious. She got dumped in my lap and has been there ever since. But something odd and mysterious began happening recently I m at a loss to explain. I ve begun doing a private Bible study early in my day before the noise of the world leads me astray. One morning when I opened the Bible, Princess came stampeding down the steps from upstairs where she d been since breakfast. With her diminutive squeaky meow, she planted herself on the open pages and began to purr loudly. Not an earthshaking occurrence she was gonna come down sometime and it happened to be when I opened my Bible. But the next day it happened again and nearly every day since. She might be in the cool of the unfinished basement for hours, but the minute I begin a prayer, she comes running and is immediately on my lap or the couch arm purring. I m a Christian, but not an overtly religious guy, and I don t go around seeing miracles behind every bush and in every litter box. But something strange is going on here. My Bible Kitty never misses a prayer or Bible time and she wastes no time in arriving always on a dead run. Soon after my sister Wanda died in 05, her only son got married at his wife s family s beachfront, Virginia mansion where my elderly, grieving mother was seated on a couch. A black cat no one had ever seen before wandered in an open door and first went to my brother-in-law for a minute, then directly to my mother s lap, ignoring everyone else. It was so odd that no one shooed away this stranger that continued to dote on my heartbroken mother. From everything I ve heard, no one has seen this cat before or since. Now, I don t know where that cat came from or why the obsessive interest in my mother. And I have no idea why Princess is obsessively fascinated with anything God. Heck, God spelled backwards isn t cat; it s dog. But maybe just maybe when we rescue or save an animal in distress, we might be entertaining an angel without even knowing it. But if not, at least you re doing a wonderful & rewarding deed when you go to a local shelter and give a loving home to a grateful animal that maybe had given up hope. And you should name it Gabriel if it s a boy and Angel if it s a girl, just in case.
Pick Me! Pick Me! These are Just a Few of the Shelter Residents Who are Looking for Their Forever Home Page 7 Amber is a beautiful orange girl who has been with us for a year. Madonna is a very sweet girl who has been with us for a year in May. Barkley is a fun and energetic Shepard mix. Sophia is a sweet girl who was abused so she needs a little extra love and patience. Roy is a very affectionate long-haired cat. Mia is a loving girl who is wonderful with children.
Page 8 With Age Comes Wisdom By Barbara Cozzens Just before Christmas of 2011, I lost my 13 ½- year old Keeshond mix, Ellie May, to cancer. The house felt empty not just for me but for my two canine boys: Floyd, a 13-year old Greater Swiss Mountain Dog mix that I adopted as a puppy, and Wellington, a 14ish-year old basset hound that I rescued as an adult. Within a few days, I read a Cody Enterprise article about the Park County Animal Shelter needing adoptive and foster homes over the upcoming holidays. I thought what better way to honor her life than to help another dog, especially a senior dog. On my visit to the shelter, I remember that Carney named as he was found abandoned following the carnival was in the second keenel on the left. He seemed humble and happy, and fit the bill of senior nicely. He was terribly skinny, but more noticeably, his eyes seemed sunken, as did his skull; more so than you would see in even the oldest dog. I filled out an application to foster Carney, and returned to my office to research the strange condition of his skull. Rather quickly I found a paper on a rare disease in dogs, primarily large breed dogs like Labs, whereby the animals own immune system attacks its masticatory (chewing) muscles. The disease Masticatory Muscle Myositis (MMM) was once believed to be a form of polymyositis. Chills went up my spine: this was the very disease that claimed the life of a dear friend, Dana Frederick, a veterinarian. Suffice to say I felt I had to foster Carney. That perhaps, just maybe, Dana put us together for a reason. I picked him up two days later and renamed him Fred in honor of Dana. I m not going to sugar-coat it. Fostering for all intents and purposes, adopting a senior dog with an unknown background was not without challenges. Fred was truly clueless as to how to walk on a leash and had no earthly idea how to go up the stairs. He d stand at the bottom barking until I carried all 70 pounds of him and/or pushed and pulled him up. And he can t hold it as long as younger dogs. I suppose it s not unlike having brought home a puppy. But Fred, like his senior housemates, requires far less effort than a puppy. He has never chewed anything; his exercise requirements rival my output; he never strays far from my side at our unfenced home in Wapiti; he roughhouses with Floyd for increments of 4 minutes or less; and he sleeps when I m trying to work. I could go on about the many advantages of adopting a senior dog. In the just over two years that Fred has shared our home, I ve seen more of the telltale signs of his age estimated to be 17 or more by his devoted vet, Dr. Pendray. His muscles have grown weaker, so hikes are out of the question. He s gone deaf, but thankfully Floyd has graciously accepted the role of hearing-ear dog, and never lets Fred out of his sight. As it was left untreated, Fred s MMM has damaged the muscles involved in drinking, so more than half the water that he takes in, sloshes back out. Fred s latest ailment may be the most insidious and difficult to cure. It s a unique disorder called Happy Tail Syndrome. In layman s terms, he wags his tail with such force that he has injured the tip, and because he wags it so often, it s never allowed to heal. I turned to Google for solutions. I ll spare the details, but will say various attempted remedies involved horse vet wrap, socks, athletic tape, threats of amputation, and even maxi-pads. All failed: Fred is just too darn happy. What a world it would be if we all suffered from a similar affliction! As I sense we re nearing the final turn in Fred s life, I am more certain than ever that Dana put him in mine. Not only will Fred have known unconditional love before he parts this Earth, but as Marley & Me author Josh Grogan so eloquently puts it (paraphrased) he has taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. He has taught me to appreciate the simple things - a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. And as he grows old and achy, he has taught me about optimism in the face of adversity. Mostly, he has taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty. All lessons I learned from Dana, but I needed Fred to remind me. FRED
Page 9 FLAME HAPPY SPRING! FROM ALL YOUR FRIENDS AT PCAS! RUBY PETEY ZEUS DAWN S DOGS, ETC. PET SITTING SERVICE Care for your Critters when you can t My Services Include: Walks, medications, potty breaks, yard detail and lots of love. I also feed and water stock of all types. Under special circumstances I will stay overnight. All types of animals. Consider using a Pet Sitter as an alternative to a boarding facility. Let your pets stay home while you are away! wydawn56@yahoo.ocm (307) 899-3852 ABOUT TASA BROST NEW PCAS BOARD MEMBER I grew up in Cody and graduated from Cody High School. I then pursued my Bachelor's in Business at the University of Colorado at Denver. I spent the next 15 years in Denver as a Real Estate Appraiser working for several companies and eventually owning my own appraisal company. My husband and I decided to return to Cody to raise our son. I have always had a great love and appreciation for all animals. I have fostered Corgis over the last several years and have found great pleasure in providing a safe and happy home for them until their forever home is found. I currently have three dogs, three cats, two horses, two fish, and a guinea pig. I'm excited to be involved with the Park County Animal Shelter and look forward to helping.
Page 10 REMEMBERING SPIKE BROWN Spike was a black lab cross. We don t remember exactly when he came to the PCAS, but he was finally adopted. When his family person passed away, he was about six years old, he came back to the Shelter --- July 31, 2005. He was a mellow fellow, not too fond of kids at that time, but was okay with cats. He loved to lay around and have his belly scratched. What he wanted was a nice big couch to lay on and watch movies!!! Our member Linda would take him to parades and any PCAS function. He was then taken to the Living Hearts Sanctuary in 2007 or 2008. His forever mom, Nancy Ann took him home on March 19, 2009. HE HAD IT MADE. He loved pizza, riding in a pick-up with his head hanging out and wearing his doggles to ride on his ATV. He was dearly loved and returned it. But a blood disease took over his and Mary Ann s life. He passed away on March 17, 2014 and surely went to doggy heaven. He will be sadly missed by all who loved him. A special thanks to all the Staff at the Advanced Veterinary Care for all the care they gave to Spike.
Please Help Park County Animal Shelter Purchase a Big Dog Wash & Grooming Tub $2,184 Step-In Wash/Grooming Tub 48 Grooming tub constructed of 16 gauge type 304 stainless steel Fully welded one piece tub design ensures against leaks High splash design helps prevent water damage to walls Fully welded tubing underframe provides a very solid base PCAS does not have equipment to wash/groom our large dogs. We need something bigger than a kitchen sink! We want our dogs to look, feel, and smell great, and ready for a new home. Please make donations to PCAS Big Dog Wash Tub P.O. Box 203, Cody, WY 82414.
5537 Greybull Highway P.O. Box 203 Cody, WY 82414 (307) 587-5110 Open to the Public: 12:00 5:30 pm everyday, except Sundays Website: www.parkcountyanimalshelter.com E-mail: manager@parkcountyanimalshelter.com Next Membership Meeting- Thursday, April 17th at 5:30 pm Monument Room at West Park Hospital Like us on Facebook! We post pictures of all strays that come to the Shelter. It s a great way to see if we have your missing critter. Check out our Website: www.parkcountyanimalshelter.com for the most current list of adoptable animals, to make a donation through PayPal, to become a PCAS member.